Without a Light to Guide My Way
by Dandelion Cat
Summary: He'd done it; he'd severed his bonds with his teammates. . . and he'd lost his humanity. Surreal.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: As much as I would love to, I do not own Naruto.

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Sasuke stood over the bodies of his fallen comrades. The life had faded from their eyes slowly, leaving their features permanently frozen. Sasuke was unmoved.

The heartbroken look that Sakura had given him hadn't bothered him. Nor had Kakashi's look of injured disappointment. The slight pain in his arm was nothing. Nothing at all.

No, the one person whose expression managed to irritate his conscience was Naruto.

His eyes had flashed, hurt and betrayed as Sasuke drove his blade through his chest, neatly slicing through a vital point. He had killed them all with dangerous efficiency. Blood splashed onto his cheek, and he watched as Naruto sunk to his knees before him. His eyes were already beginning to glaze over.

Sasuke turned his back on him and walked away, planning to double check that the members of his former team were all indeed dead. A gasp and groan from behind him made him stop and look back.

"H-how. . ?" Naruto had collapsed to the ground and was breathing raggedly, a pool of blood forming around him. Sasuke looked at him closely and was startled. Tears leaked from cerulean eyes and trickled down the blonde's cheeks. "H-how c-could you?"

Sasuke walked back to where his teammate lay dying and stared down at him, his eyes veiled.

"I had to," he answered, his tone soft and emotionless. Naruto's eyes flooded with sadness. It was almost painful to look into them.

"I n-never a-achieved my d-dream," he whispered roughly. He shuddered and coughed, his eyes becoming more clouded than before.

Sasuke flinched at the pain dripping from his words. He was robbing his friend of more than just his life. Everything he had worked for would never be accomplished. He would never be Hokage. All of the promises he had made would never be fulfilled. His future had been destroyed. All that would be left of him were the memories of the people who had known him. Maybe the people he had helped would remember him. Perhaps someone will see fit to note his accomplishments. Hopefully his friends will never forget him.

Sasuke suddenly felt hollow. The threads that held him together fell away; the bonds that had supported him were severed as his friend finally stopped breathing. Pain echoed through the cavern in his gut and filled his mind with a red haze.

With a jolt, he fell to his knees, a scream tearing through his lips. His body writhed with pain, and he thrashed haphazardly on the ground. He clawed at the earth, fighting to escape the pain. His body felt like it was burning from the inside out. The heat was unbearable. He screamed in agony as the throbbing intensified. He clutched his head, his nails digging into his flesh.

He didn't even realize that he'd closed his eyes until they burst open after a final spasm of pain. He froze in shock, his face paling to a deathly white. He was face to face with Naruto's corpse, the empty blue orbs staring at him accusingly. Sasuke jerked back, trembling.

Then, abruptly, everything changed. The sky bled crimson, staining itself darker and darker as the seconds passed. The bodies began to glow, emitting an eerie green light. Naruto's vacant eyes pierced his very soul.

He was angry.

Betrayed.

Hurt.

But even more horrifying, as Sasuke scrambled away and to his feet, was the giant wave of utter darkness rushing toward him at a terrific rate. The wind shrieked and howled, but the trees were utterly still. Unstoppable, the wave was like a black hole, swallowing everything in its path. For some reason, Sasuke couldn't seem to move; he couldn't run. He watched it approach, his eyes wide with dread.

The darkness roared as it swept over him, engulfing him in a sea of black. He couldn't see anything, not the trees, not the sky, not even the ground he was standing on. The temperature dropped, the coldness nipping at his flesh. Goosebumps raised the skin on his arms and his body started shaking, trying vainly to warm itself.

He began hyperventilating, and fought to calm himself. He spun around, trying to catch sight of something familiar in the darkness. Something to prove that he was not completely alone and helpless. He spotted something and turned to look at it, feeling relief. What he saw made his stomach churn uncomfortably.

The bodies of his teammates were vivid, as though they had been magnified by a spotlight. He watched, transfixed, as a few strands of Sakura's pink hair were blown away from her face by a breeze that, for some reason, he couldn't feel. Her expression shocked him.

Her face was twisted with anger and bitterness. Her empty green eyes stared straight ahead, the rage in them frozen forever. He had not realized that she was capable of so much hate.

Kakashi's expression was also not what he would have expected. He was a great shinobi; he was noble, brave, loyal, protective. But he had turned his face away towards the ground. Shame colored his lifeless features as he looked to where Sasuke had stood when he'd killed him. Sasuke had never seen the man so sad--so defeated.

Yet, the bodies were all he could see in the constricting darkness. Everything else had disappeared, and he was completely alone.

Fearfully, he glanced down at his hand, suddenly afraid that he had disappeared as well. To his relief, it was still there, as was the rest of him. But then he looked at his other hand.

Holding back a shout of surprise, he stared at his seemingly empty hand. He could feel the comforting weight of his katana and the texture of the handle. It was his constant companion in battle, his lifeline on the rare occasion that his chakra ran low. Yet the blade, itself, was invisible. Unwilling to be daunted, he swung it in front of him experimentally.

His honed senses picked up the sound of the blade slicing almost silently through the air. He stared intently, searching for even the tiniest glint of metal. It wasn't until mid-swing that he caught sight of it. When he did, he nearly dropped the sword.

The entire thing had been turned blood red. He stared at it, overwhelmed by all these strange occurrences. With a cautious flick of his wrist, he tried to see if the foreign coloring could be shaken off. Nothing happened.

Slightly shaken, Sasuke tried to think--tried to plan. But he couldn't concentrate. His mind was filled with images of the bodies and his scarlet sword. He ground his teeth. This wasn't supposed to happen! What the hell was he supposed to do if he couldn't see?! Overwhelmed by rage, he slashed the air with his katana.

The blade struck something solid, startling Sasuke. He froze for an instant, his training causing him to stay ridged as his mind caught up with the situation. Warily, he reached forward with his free hand.

His fingers traced the rough texture of wood, and he could feel the grooves in the bark. His stiff posture relaxed; the feel of something familiar at his fingertips soothed him. Reassured, he withdrew his sword from the tree.

The instant the metal left the bark, the entire tree became illuminated. Sasuke fought to keep from jumping back, having not expected the sudden change. His surprise was visible on his face, and his jaw clenched as he struggled for control. Within moments, his expression changed from startled to calculating. Something had caused this change. But what?

He struck out again in a different direction, his katana arching gracefully through the air. It hit another unseen object. This time, he didn't pause; he slashed across the surface, watching the scarlet blade closely. Once again, the moment that the blade was free, the object lit up. It was another tree, smaller than the first.

He was starting to piece together a pattern.

After a brief moment of contemplation, he swung his sword downwards, scraping it against the unseen ground. Instantly, the grass and dirt were illuminated, forming a circle of light that spanned ten feet in every direction.

Sasuke smirked; it was meager, but it was enough. There would be no stopping until Itachi lie dead at his feet.

He took a step forward and his expression shifted into a scowl. The light did not travel with him. He moved until he was at the edge and then ran his blade along the ground in front of him.

Another circle appeared with him at the center.

His scowl disappeared, leaving him expressionless. Nonetheless, he stepped forward with complete confidence. At the end of every circle, he would strike the ground and a new one would appear.

It worked, but it was slow. After covering a considerable amount of ground, he was beginning to get frustrated.

He had managed to find the road and determine which direction he needed to travel. Yet, he had to stay on the path in order to remain on track. He would have preferred to keep to the woods; after all, there were still shinobi on the lookout for him. He knew by now that he was entered in most standard bingo books. It wouldn't help matters at all once his teammates' bodies were found. But he didn't have much of a choice. His newest source of information about Itachi was waiting to meet him in the next village. He would have no way to orient himself if he strayed from the road.

The darkness was still suffocating; the blackness swallowed his surroundings and left him cold and alone. As much as he didn't want to admit it, the emptiness he felt bothered him. He wanted to escape. The burning desire to see ate at him. Was there no end to this eternal abyss?

Suddenly, a lone figure cut through the icy darkness ahead of him. Sasuke jerked to a stop, eyeing him wearily with his sword held ready.

It was a young man, maybe two or three years younger than him. He wasn't glowing, not like the corpses of Sasuke's teammates; yet Sasuke could see him clearly. And it was then, in the overpowering darkness, that he realized that his sword was shining. Its light was tainted, giving off a dark red hue. The sword itself seemed to pulsate with its hunger for blood.

And its blood lust was infectious.

A warm, tingling sensation ran up his sword arm, spreading to his shoulder and then throughout the rest of his body. He felt on edge, drawn to the lone figure heading towards him. His body trembled with anticipation, and he couldn't seem to bring himself to suppress it.

It's hard to say whether he could have refrained from attacking if the boy hadn't made a fatal mistake. He wasn't watching where he walked; instead, he gazed around him, absorbing the scenery that was entirely hidden from Sasuke. Without any kind of warning, he stumbled (Sasuke couldn't see what caused it). Nonetheless, the boy was suddenly a perfect target. He was off-balanced and defenseless. The flesh on his neck was exposed, looking pale and vulnerable and open for attack.

Sasuke was darting towards him before he'd even bothered to think of the consequences. His movements were purely instinctive; he ignored his training for neat efficiency. The blows from his sword were random, most not even hitting a vital spot.

The boy let out a single bloodcurdling screech before he fell beneath Sasuke's sword. His eyes glazed over and his light brown hair became matted with blood.

Sasuke stared at him as the frenzied desire to kill faded. As he calmed, he noticed that the body was slowly beginning to glow. The light intensified, surpassing the glow that had come from his teammates' bodies.

Yet, it didn't stop there. Sasuke let out a gasp as the light emitted from the boy began to melt the darkness around him. The inky blackness receded, revealing numerous trees and boulders. Light blue sky came into view, adorned by a few wispy clouds the color of untainted snow. He could actually feel a light breeze tugging at his clothes and the warm sunshine shining on his skin.

He grinned as he wiped the blood from his katana and returned it to its sheath. His eyes were different than before. They held a sort of wildness--a kind of insanity that hadn't been there previously.

This was his answer.

The bodies that had turned his world to darkness could also be his lantern in the dark. He could continue his quest for Itachi.

Nothing truly had to change.

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_Wow. I never thought that I could write something like this. Let me know what you think. Please review!_

_Also, I will be making this story a two-shot, so expect the second part to be posted in a week or so!_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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Itachi listened to his newest source with a blank expression. The man was obviously frightened, constantly wiping his sweaty palms on his pants. Itachi had long since gotten past being amused by the effect he had on people. But it was a little different this time. The man was afraid—not just of Itachi—but of the person that he was reporting about. It showed in the way that he stuttered over the name and how he grew pale as he relayed the details. A bead of sweat trickled down the man's brow.

Itachi listened with a dispassionate expression. His icy lack of emotion clearly unnerved the other man. He finished his report in a rush and nearly flew out of his chair. He bowed hastily before scurrying away, slamming the door loudly in his hurry to leave. Itachi watched him go, casually taking a sip of his drink as he pondered over this new information.

It appeared that his little brother was up to more than just trying to become stronger. Itachi had heard rumors about his newest fixation and had instantly sought out a more reliable source. He looked towards where the man had run out. It appeared that his witness was able to confirm that his precious little brother had indeed taken to mass slaughter.

The thought disturbed him as he recalled Sasuke when he was a young boy. He had been so innocent and straightforward. Hardly the makes for a murderer. And that was exactly what he had become. Sasuke's attacks were unprovoked; he had destroyed entire villages without any apparent of trigger to spark his wrath.

Itachi couldn't understand it. Sasuke wasn't one to slaughter the weak and innocent; he was above such petty maliciousness.

He needed more information.

Having already distanced himself from Kisame to gather intel, Itachi contemplated his next move. He had many contacts to choose from, but none of them fit his ideal. Whatever had happened to Sasuke, it was affecting his mind. The cause had to be personal—resulting from something close to him.

He needed someone from Konoha.

Laying a few bills on the table, he stood and walked towards the door. The pub that his informant had chosen as a meeting place was loud and filthy; Itachi found it detestable. Walking outside, he breathed in the fresh air with silent relief. He had one more day until he had to meet up with Kisame. With that thought in mind, he turned and darted towards Konoha with ground-eating strides.

Recalling his days as member of Konoha's Anbu, Itachi traveled on a discrete path often used by the leaf village's shinobi. He moved in the shadows, weaving expertly through the trees. His footsteps were absolutely silent; his breathing was smooth and even, belying his speed. His innate abilities had developed beyond even that of Konoha's best Anbu captains.

And he had several more jutsus at his disposal as well.

Spotting a shinobi who wore a leaf headband, Itachi moved to the side, merging naturally with the shadows. Almost unthinkingly, he coiled his chakra within himself, making it so small that it was nearly impossible to detect. Then, with practiced patience, he waited.

The Konoha chunin was completely unaware; his skills were too undeveloped to detect Itachi's cloaked presence. It wouldn't have mattered even if he had.

Darting out swiftly, Itachi grabbed the man by the collar, jerking him backwards. Moving as though the shinobi weighed no more than a rag doll, he threw him back and slammed him against a tree. The three tomoes in his eyes whirled rapidly, trapping the chunin in a trance. The man writhed in his grasp for a moment before going still. Finally, the blood drained from his face and his eyes grew dull.

"Tell me, what do you know of Sasuke Uchiha?"

Words spilled from the chunin's mouth. "He is a missing ninja from our village."

"What recent reports have you heard about him?" Itachi asked with forced patience. Hopefully, this fool could give him the information he desired.

"An investigation has confirmed that Sasuke Uchiha has assassinated the members of his former team and is now massacring numerous villages."

The first part of the man's statement interested him.

"He killed his entire team?"

"Affirmative."

Itachi paused. That had to be the trigger to Sasuke's actions. But that in itself shouldn't have driven him over the edge. There had to something else, something that he was missing.

"What else have you heard?"

"Lady Hokage has formally charged him with treason and has sent out a warrant for his arrest. He is to be executed once he is captured."

Itachi froze. Were he a lesser man, he would have cursed. As it was, he released his hold on the chunin, causing him to slump to against the tree.

"Where might I find him?"

"On the outskirts of the land of fire . . . near river country."

The chunin slumped over, unconscious now that Itachi was through with him. Without giving him a second thought, Itachi rapidly began forming hand signs. With a short burst of chakra, he vanished, a solitary leaf stirring at his departure.

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The night was dark and quiet, the moon's reflection wavering softly on the water's surface. Itachi blended easily into the shadows of the moss-covered trees, his crimson eyes glowing in the murky light. Pausing for a moment, he pulled a small vial of from his pocket.

Taking off the lid, he tipped the container sideways until two pills fell into his palm. Barely glancing at the tiny things that kept him alive, he slipped them into his mouth and swallowed. Screwing the cap back on, he returned the vial to his pocket and redirected his attention to the village on the other side of the river.

He had already checked several villages without success, but his instincts told him that this one was it. There was a silence so deep that he could hear the miniscule murmur of water flowing over tiny stones in the stream. A child cried out and was hushed instantly; Itachi knew that he had entered the grounds of the hunted. This is what it was like to be prey: silent terror filled the air in tangible clouds, making it seem difficult to breathe. The entire village was still, hiding behind a mask of inactivity.

_The hunter was out there, waiting._

A scream ripped through the air and the spell was broken. People stumbled out of their houses, shouting and running. Screams of pain and terror rang out as people were caught and cut down. Villagers splashed into the river, trying to escape and Itachi watched as a small child was suddenly swept away by the strong current. He fought down the urge to act as he continued to watch the scene. Men and women cried and shouted, shoving at each other in their blind haste to get away.

The little hand disappeared below the water's surface and didn't come back up.

The commotion from the village drew nearer; cries of pain and death filled the air. Itachi leaned forward and saw a flash of silver before a loud scream sounded. Another flash and scream, and a figure stepped into view.

Blood streaked through long black hair, running down finely muscled forearms. It dripped from the long silver katana and covered much of the sleeveless black shirt and pants.

_Why?_

Sasuke slashed through two more victims, his eyes changing from misty black to glowing scarlet with each new kill. There was no hesitation in his stance, no signs of remorse.

_Little brother?_

The innocent grin he remembered, the childish pouts, the promise to become a police officer, the determination to protect people —all were gone.

_Who is this?_

A young girl stumbled and fell. Her eyes became wild with fear as she clawed at the ground, struggling to get back on her feet. Sasuke bore down on her, his sword gleaming. The girl let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Metal clashed against metal. Scarlet eyes met scarlet eyes. Itachi stared at his younger brother, watching his face glow with sudden rage at the loss of his victim, and then suddenly transform into a sly grin. The girl scrambled to her feet and fled, unnoticed by the two shinobi.

"Itachi." Blood dripped from Sasuke's hair onto his cheek. He didn't seem to notice. He grinned at Itachi and his eyes gleamed with madness. "You couldn't have come at a better time."

"And why would that be?" Itachi asked, keeping his voice and expression neutral.

"I can see," Sasuke answered; "I can use my Sharingan."

Itachi failed to understand what his brother meant. He hadn't been able to see? But even if he had overused the Mangekyo Sharingan (which Itachi assumed he now possessed), he wouldn't be able to recover his eyesight. Something else was happening.

"Each person I kill," Sasuke continued eagerly, "each person allows my eyes to see more clearly."

Itachi's eyes narrowed at the fevered look in his eyes. He shoved Sasuke back and leaped away.

His brother was gone.

Itachi stared at this stranger and felt the weight of a new burden settle on his shoulders. He had tried to save his brother from slaughter; he had begged the Hokage to protect him; he had driven Sasuke to become stronger, to hate his older brother, to be tough enough to protect himself. But it was all in vain.

Madness had taken him.

"Sasuke, you have fallen."

Sasuke sneered and disappeared, reappearing to Itachi's right with his sword drawn. Itachi ducked as the blade swished above his head and countered with a blow to Sasuke's unprotected midriff. Sasuke flew back with the force of the attack, barely managing to stay on his feet. Not hesitating, Itachi darted forward and struck at him with his kunai. The metal dug into Sasuke's shoulder, slicing through skin and flesh. Blood dripped onto the ground, but Sasuke didn't react to the wound.

He lurched forward, sword raised. Itachi parried the first blow and dodged the second, avoiding his brother's attacks with incredible speed. Seeing an opening, he ducked and swung up at Sasuke's chin. This time, Sasuke was able leap back and avoid the blow before launching himself at Itachi again.

Already predicting his move, Itachi went through a rapid series of hand signs and drew in a large breath, exhaling a giant wave of fire. Sparks flew and the air bristled with the heat. Sasuke barely dodged the rush of flames, skidding off to the right. Itachi whipped his head around, forcing his brother to stay on the move in order to avoid the powerful flames.

The tables suddenly turned when Itachi paused to draw in a breath. Sasuke leaped at him, his sharpened blade swinging. Itachi jumped quickly to the left, but he already knew that he wasn't going to get out of the way fast enough. Cold metal bit into his side, drawing blood as he lurched away.

A crazed light ignited in Sasuke's eyes at the sight of blood. Itachi struggled not to let his unease show. This was not the brother he remembered. This being was too cold—no more than a human shell.

Itachi could feel sweat beading on his forehead as his heart pounded loudly in his ears. He hadn't expected to use so much taijutsu in this battle.

Sasuke seemed to gain strength from Itachi's wound. With a wild laugh, he launched himself at Itachi, his hand crackling with blue chakra. His movements had gained a surprising amount of speed, forcing Itachi to counter his attack instead of dodge. Even as he deflected the Chidori, Sasuke followed up with raised kunai.

Itachi winced as the kunai dug into his shoulder but forced himself to ignore it as he grabbed Sasuke's wrist twisted, flinging him away. Sasuke landed in a neat crouch, but didn't attack again. He didn't have to.

Itachi bent over, hacking up blood and spittle. _Shit!_ He clenched his teeth as pain rippled through his chest. The disease that had been eating at him for years was finally taking its toll.

He didn't have much time left.

Finally regaining control of himself, Itachi stood and stared at Sasuke through hazy eyes. It appeared that he wouldn't have a choice.

In a rapid series of practiced movements, Itachi had opened one of the clasps in his jacket and pulled out an old scroll. Whipping it open, he dipped his thumb into the blood flowing from his shoulder.

He had hoped it would never come to this.

He drew his blood-covered thumb down the length of the scroll before placing his palm over the center. A breeze blew as he focused his chakra. There was a small poof and smoke formed around the scroll. Itachi stuck his hand in without hesitation, his eyes still trained on his brother.

Out of the smoke, he drew a sword. The long blade of the katana gleamed cruelly. Itachi felt a pang of sadness as his hand brushed the familiar hilt. This sword had been his companion in battle—as well as his accomplice in the slaughter of his family.

He had never intended to wield his Anbu katana again. Rather, he had wanted to seal it away along with the painful memories of what he had done for his village. Yet it seemed fitting that he should take up his sword for this final task. He would complete his assignment from years ago and eliminate the last of the Uchiha clan.

His brother could no longer be saved.

At that instant, Sasuke charged, striking at him with his katana. Itachi neatly parried with his own blade before lashing out at Sasuke, forcing him on the defensive. The harsh sounds of metal clashing against metal filled the air as the two brothers fought.

Itachi swung around, just blocking a strike at his midriff. He looked up and was startled to notice that the scarlet in Sasuke's eyes were rapidly fading to black. Sasuke shoved against him and leaped back, his hand rising to his face.

"No! No! NO!" He roared as his eyes completed the change from scarlet to obsidian. Itachi stared at him wide-eyed and clutched at his chest as it throbbed painfully.

Sasuke's head suddenly jerked towards him and all he saw was the madness that had consumed him. Even as his brother took off in one final leap he knew that the end had come.

Their eyes met a moment before Itachi's blade pierced Sasuke's flesh and Itachi felt a wave of overwhelming sadness.

_I'm sorry little brother. For everything._

Time seemed to slow as he felt his katana tear through the flesh of a vital point and felt his brother's body slump against him. He hardly flinched as he felt Sasuke's katana pierce his own flesh. He merely stood there, a heavy weight settling upon him as he felt his brother's heart beat erratically and then, after a few moments, finally come to a stop.

He didn't register the tears slowly making their way down his cheeks as he slumped to the ground, still clutching his brother's lifeless body. Almost absently, he felt the pain in his body overwhelming him as he looked into his brother's face.

Death had softened Sasuke's features, making him look younger and more vulnerable. He looked so innocent. A memory of Sasuke as a child curled up contently in Itachi's lap came forth unbidden.

Something inside him snapped at the image.

His vision tunneled until all he could see was his brother's corpse. It glowed, sending chills down his spine. An icy coldness bit at his flesh even as he felt himself growing weaker. He felt it bubbling within him, fighting to break loose.

_Madness._

His blade shone scarlet, taunting him. He struggled to breathe even as he felt the pain begin to fade to a startling numbness. With the last of his strength he turned his head away from what he had done, tears still trailing down his cheeks. He blinked twice at the unnerving darkness that had suddenly enclosed him before he took a final, shallow breath.

And then he saw no more.

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_Thank you for reading! Let me know what you thought! Please review!_


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